Automobile-top.



J. VETTER.

AUTOMOBILE TOP.

' APPLlcATxoN HLED MAY 6.1918

` 1,298,836. Patented Apr. 1,1919.

JOSEPH VETTEB, F TOLEDO, OHIO.

AUTOMOBILETTOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr'. 1, 191e.

Application iiled May 6, 1918. Serial No. 232,792.

' specification. r.

This invention relates to tops for automov biles or the like andparticularly to means for securing the covers to the top frames.

The object of my invention is the provisionof simple and efficient meansfor securing the cover of an automobile or the like and the top paddingstrips and rear straps to the supporting bows of the top frame in,

an easy and rapid manner without the use lof buttons, tacks or the like,thus materially facilitating the upholsterin of tops of this characterand lessening t e expense and labor incident thereto.

The .invention is fully described in the following specification, andwhile, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerousforms, a preferred and a modified form thereof are illustrated -in theaccompanying drawings, in which,-

Fi re 1 is a side elevation of a top embodylng the invention. Figs. 2and 3 are enlarged cross-sectional views of the front and rear framebows of the top and associated arts. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan of thelank from which the rear bow cover engaging means is formed. Figs. 5 and6 are cross-sections similar to Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, andembodying a slightly modified form of the invention and Fig. 7 is afragmentary section on the line 7-7 in Fig. 5, with parts in full.

eferring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the front and rear framebows, respectively, of an automobile top of the foldable type, 3 thedeck covering therefor, 4 the customary padding strip, one'of whichextends from the front to the rear bow along each side roll at the top,5 one of the cus' tomary straps 4which extends from the rear bow down tothe back of the automobile body, and 6 the back covering of the top, aswell understood in the art.

In carrying out my invention the front bow 1 is provided in its outerface or front s1de with a longitudinally extending recess .which has itsend portions extending a short distance along the bow legs so that therecess 1s substantially U-shapc in form. In

one embodiment of the invention said recess is formed by a channel strip7, preferably of metal, which strip has the straight flange 8 extendlngat right angles to its bottom and the top flange 9, which is turnedoverin yand padding strips 4 are beaded, as shownl at 11 and 12,respectively, and introduced' into the recess 10, the strip beads first,and with the material of the cover and strips extending downward fromsaid beads around the edge of the flange 9 and thence upward andrearward over the front bow. A retaining member 13, conforming to thelongitudinal contour of the channel strip 7 and bowed if such strip isbowed, which is usually and preferably the case, is removably sprung orfitted into the channel of said strip between the iianges 2 and `inbinding engagement rwith the material of the cover 3 and strips 4extending around the flange 9, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby preventing alwithdrawal of the beads 11 and 12 from the recess 10.

The rear bow 2 of the top is provided on its top with a U-sliapedchannel strip 14, which extends longitudinally around the portion of thebow 2 inclosed by the cover 3 and is substantially the same incross-sectional contour as the channel strip 7, except that it is largerand has both slde flanges' beads 21 and inserted into the originalrecess 18, the straps thence extending rearward and downward from thebeads through registering slots or openings 22 in the flange 16 and havetheir lower ends vattached in any suitable manner to the back of theautomo' flanges 15 and 16 and prevents a withdrawal' of the beads 19, 2Oand 23 from the channel.

In the modification of the invention i-llustrated in Figs. 5 and -7 thefront bow 1 is provided in its outer or front side with a narrow groove25, which extends at its ends a short distance along each leg of the bowand is of suitable -width to receive the beads 12 `at the front ends ofthe padding strips, and is of greater depth than the thickness of' saidbeads. The bead at the front end of the cover 3 is 4formed by .securinga U- shaped spring bar or rod 26 within an edge loop of the cover andthis bead is inserted in the groove 25 lwithout the beads 12 to preventa withdrawal Aof the latter from the groove. The end or leg terminals ofthe bead rod 26 are turned inward to. form spurs 27, which spring intoregistering sockets 28 in the end portions of the groove and coperatetherewith toy retain the cover bead in the groove. The rear bow 2 in itsmodified form (Fig. 6) has its top side rovided with a longitudinallyexten ing groove 29, the ends of which extend down the legs of the bowto adjacent the lower side edge portions of the top cover and thisgroove'is of sufficient width to receive the beads 20, 21 and 23 of thepadding strips 4, rear straps 5 and the cover back 6, respectively. Inpositioning the beads 20, 21 and 23 side by side in the groove, thebeads 20 are disposed between the other two beads and the padding'strips4 extend from the beads 20 under the bead 23 and thence up and forwardaround the front edge wall of the groove. The' straps 5 extend rearwardand downward from the groove 29 through registering slots or openings 30in the rear wall of the groove. A spring rod 31 extends'through a loopalong the rear edge of the cover l3 and is similar in'shape to thespring rod 26 atthe front end of the cover so that its leg ends may besprung into holding engagement with sockets at the respective endportions of the groove 29. The yspring rod 31 is ositioned over Vthebeads 2O and 23 in downward pressure against each and retains said beadsin assembled position within the groove 29.

y Having thus described my invention, what I I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a top' of the class described, a framey bow having archannelformed therein longitudinally thereof and having an edge recess, aplurality of beads removably disposed in said recess and having materialextending from each without the recesses, and means removably seating insaid channel and serving to retain the beads in the recess.

2. In a top of the class described, a frame bow having a longitudinally.extending channel in the outer side thereof provided with inwardlyopening recesses atlits opposite edges, a bead disposed in each ofvsaidrecesses and having material extending therefrom without the respectiverecesses and a member removably seating in the channel between saidrecesses and serving to retain the beads therein.

3. In a top of the class described, a frame bow, a channel strip mountedon the outer side of said bow longitudinally thereof and having oppositeedge flanges with one of said flanges turned over in substantiallyparallel relation to the channel bottom to form an inwardly opening edgerecess, a top cover and a beading strip each having an end edge providedwith a bead and inserted in said recess, and a retaining strip removablyseating in' said channel without said recess and coperating with thechannel strip to retain said beads in engagement therewith.

4. In a top of the class described, a frame a cover back and strapshaving their upper4 ends beaded and seated 'in the other of saidrecesses, and an elongated retaining member removably seating in saidchannel strip be-v tween its edge iianges and coperating therewith toprevent a Iwithdrawal of said beads from the respective recesses.l

5. In a top of the class described, a frame bow having a longitudinallyextending groove in the outer `side thereof ,with an opening in one sidewall of the groove, a bead disposed in saidgroove and having a strip ofmaterial extending therefrom through said opening, and. means coactingwith said bead within the groove to prevent a removal of the bead fromthe groove.

v 6. In a top of the class described, a frame bow, a channel stripmounted on the outerv bow having a longitudinally extending groove inthe outer side thereof with an opening in one side wall of the groove, aplurality of beads disposed in said groove and each having materialextending therefrom with the material which extends from one beadprojecting outward through said opening, and means coacting with saidbeads within the groove for removably retaining them therein.

7. In a top of the class described, a frame bow having a longitudinallyextending groove in its outer side with the ends of said grooveextending down the legs of the bow, a plurality of beads removablymounted in the base of said groove and a spring rod mounted in thegroove without said beads and coperating therewith to prevent awithdrawal of the beads from the groove, said rod being substantiallyU-shaped and having its ends normally sprung inward into releasableinterengagement with the bow,

said beads each-having material extending therefrom without the groove.

8. In a top of the class described, a frame bow having a lon 'tudinallyextending groove in its outer sid, a plurality of beads disposed in saidgroove in transversely spaced relation, a padding strip extending from acenter bead under and around an adjoining bead before assing from thegroove, a rear cover exten ing from one end bead and a rear strapextending from another end bead without said groove, and a retainingmember disposed in the groove without said beads in coactiontherewith'to prevent their Withdrawal from the groove, said member beingreleasably engaged to the bow adjacent to the end portions of thegroove, and a cover stri attached to and extending from said mem er.`

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to thisspecication. Y JOSEPH VETTER.

